Window curtain



Nov. 3, 1942. ROSENBERG 2,301,081

WINDOW CURTAIN Filed Oct. 28, 1941 INVENTOR;

A TTOR/V S.

.Bomawllloumbeqq v Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mun I WINDOW CURTAIN Bernard Beanbag, Poekfilll, N. I.

Applcation October 28, 1941, Serial Na 418.787

Claims.

My present invention relates generally to draped window curtains, such as "Priscilla" or "cottage type curtains, which are ordinarily made of sheer material, and it has particular referencetoacurtainofthistypeprovidedwith an improved tie-back arrangement forming an integral part of the curtain.

The conventional tie-back consists of a strip of material which is doubled upon itself to form a loop within which the curtain is gathered,and the ends of this strip are provided with loops or similar fastening means whereby they may be secured to the wall or window frame adjacent the curtain. Such an arrangement has a number of disadvantages. Forexample, since the tie-back is of fixed length, the gathered or shirred portion of the curtain is of invariable size; and since the tie-back is engaged around the entire width of the curtain the neatness and regularity of the shirring, and the graceful contour of the curtain as a whole, is difficult to control. Furthermore, the shirred portion is not self-retaining, and the gathered folds of the curtain do not always stay put. Also, since the tie-back is a separate member, it may easily become lost, and, in fact, it is very frequently lost during the handling of the curtain in the retail store, or during subsequent laundering operations.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved curtain construction in which a tie-back arrangement is formed as an integral part of the curtain, and in which the desired draping of the curtain to any desired extent may be effected without any contrivances extraneous to the curtain itself.

A more particular object of the invention is the provision of a tie-back arrangement which permits adjustment of the curtain to obtain a shirring that is evenly distributed along the extent of the tie-back, and which is self-retaining once the desired adjustment has been effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain construction in which the adjustment of the tie-back to attain the desired eifect may be carried out by even the most unskilled person.

A further object of the invention is to provide a curtain construction in which the gathering of the body of the curtain may be efiected without necessarily engaging around an ornamental fringe that may be provided along the inner edge of the curtain.

Among the advantages of the present invention are the extreme simplicity of structure of costof manufactureisnogreatenorevmlels, thantheoostofacurtainandaseparatetieback arrangement; its self-retaining charaderistics; its neatness and attractiveness; and the easewithwhichthecurtainmaybeinstalled and adjusted.

I achieve the foregoing ohlects and advantages, and such other objects and advantagu as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exanplifled in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a window curtain installation of the cottage type, showing an'illustrative use of draped curtains provided with an integral tie-back arrangement, in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of my invention, the improved curtain being shown in a flat position with the tie-back inoperative;

Figure3isaviewsimilartoFigure2,but showing the curtain gathered at its midportion by the tie-back;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional perspective view, of a portion of the tie-back arrangement, this view being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional perspective view, of a portion of the tie-back arrangement, this view being taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, showing the tie-back in use, this view being taken substantially along the line H of Figure 3.

The curtain installation shown by way of example in Figure 1 is of the so-called cottage" type, and comprises a pair of curtains A and B, which constitute the subject of my invention. and a pair of auxiliary curtains C and D, which are not draped and which overhang the lower portion of the window, while the draped curtains A and B overhang portions of the upper part of the window. Suitable means E and P, such as pins or hooks are shown at the sides of the window, and serve for securing a portion of the tie-back thereto, thereby anchoring the lower portions of the curtains. although as will appear more clearly as this description proceeds, the tie-back will perform its gathering function without necessarily securing any portion thereof tothewalladiacentthewindowortothewindow frame.

ThecurtainsAandBare identicalinconthe combined curtain and tie-back, whereby its struction, but the parts thereof are reversed, as

will be obvious, one being a right and the other a left. A description of the curtain A will therefore suflice for a disclosure of my invention.

The curtain A, as clearl shown in Figure 2, comprises a body portion in the form of a panel "I, which may be made, for example, of sheer gauzy material, to the top of which is secured a valance ll provided with a channeled portion I! through which a curtain-rod G (see Figure 1) may be inserted.

The inner vertical edge I21: and the bottom edge of the curtain A are shown provided with an ornamental ruflie or fringe I 3. Although .this is not a necessary part of my invention, it will appear hereinafter that by this additional feature ornamental effects may be obtained that are impossible of attainment where one of the conventional tie-back arrangements is used. The ruflle I3 is shown as provided with an ornamental band I! along its juncture to the body portion In accordance with my invention a' strip of flexible material, l5, such as fabric, is caused to extend transversely across the. body portion "I of the curtain, this strip being secured to the curtain along its edges by means of stitching I 6 thereby forming an elongated pocket or channel. This pocket or channel is arranged at a slight angle, and is positioned substantially along the line of the ultimate desired tie-back efiect. Within this channel is positioned an elongated flexible member [1, shown in the form of a band or tape, although obviously it may have other forms. This member I! serves as a drawin string to effect the gathering of the curtain and serves further to secure the curtain to the wall or to the window frame. The drawing member I! is unsecured within the pocket except at the inner end thereof, which in the illustrated embodiment is at the inner vertical edge |2a of the curtain, and this securing may be conveniently effected by the same stitching that secures the ruiile l3 and its ornamental band H to the body portion III of the curtain. This is indicated in Figure 5, in'which the edge of the body portion in and the ends of the strip l5 and the member I! are shown doubled over and secured by two rows of stitches Hi to the doubledover edge portions of the ruflle I3 and the strip The member I1 is of such a length that its rear end portion normally protrudes out of the rear end of the pocket or channel. By pulling on this free end of the member H, the strip l5 and the adjacent portions I0 are gathered or shirred as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6. This results in the formation of folds that are rather evenly spaced. The frictional interengagement between these folds and the member I! produces a self-retaining shirred efiect, distributed along the entire length of the engaged portion of the member I1.

It will now be observed, as shown in Figure 3, that by virtue of the attachment of the member I! at the inner edge of the rullle l3, the latter will not be included in the gathered portions of the curtain, whereby an effect is obtained that is impossible with conventional tie-back arrangements, which include the rufile as well as the body of the curtain. Obviously, however, if desired, the member l1 might be attached at the free edge of the ruiile, whereby the latter would be included in the gathering.

It will further be seen that the member I1 is always held at the desired angle relatively to the curtain, whereas in the conventional tieback arrangements this angle is variable due to faulty initial positioning and due to slipping of the parts out of their desired position.

' In use, the curtain A, after being hung, will be adjusted by means of the drawing member I! until the desired effect is obtained after which the member I! ma b secured to the fastenin device E or F (see Figure 1) in order to cause the curtain to hang with its outer edge I9 in a vertical position. If this latter effect is not desired, Or if free hanging of the curtain is desired, the securing of course may be dispensed with, while the gathering is nevertheless retained.

As an additional convenience in securing the curtain the member I! may be provided with means such as apertures or loops at spaced intervals whereby it may be conveniently attached to securing means such as a pin or hook.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a curtain having a tie-back arrangement integral therewith, of simple construction and capable of manufacture at low cost, and having advantages of adjustability and of novel ornamental effects not heretofore enjoyed in conventional curtain constructions.

In general, it will be understood that those skilled in the art may make changes in the details herein described and illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is therefore intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A window curtain of the draped type comprising a body portion of sheer material provided at its top with means for supporting it from a curtain rod, and having a plain vertical outer edge that is adapted to hang straight, a shirred rufliesecured to the inner edge, a strip of fabric extending transversely across the body portion of said curtain adjacent the midportion thereof from the ruiiie in an upward direction to the straight vertical outer edge, said strip being secured at its sides and at the end adjacent the ruffle to the said body portion so as to form an elongated pocket closed at its end adjacent the ruflie and open at said vertical outer edge, and an elongated flexible member in said pocket and secured therein only at the closed end of said pocket, and the free end of said member normally protruding out of the open end of said pocket, whereby on drawing said member outwardly out of said pocket, the curtain will be gathered and will be retained in its gathered position by the friction between said member and the walls of said pocket, and said flexible member being adapted for securement of its free end portion to suitable securing means adjacent a window on which the curtain is hung.

2. In a window curtain, a panel of fabric constituting the body portion of the curtain, a tieback arrangement comprising an elongated pocket secured to said panel, an elongated flexible member extending through said pocket and having one end secured to the curtain at one end of said member, the other portions of said member being unsecured and the free end of said member normally protruding from said pocket, whereby on drawing said member out of said pocket the pocket and the adjacent panel portions will be gathered.

3. In a window curtain, tie-back means secured to and forming an integral part of said curtain for gathering a portion of said curtain and securing the curtain to a wall adjacent a window on which said curtain is hung, said means comprising an elongated pocket with flexible walls extending transversely across and secured to the curtain along the length of said pocket, said pocket being open at one end, an elongated flexible drawing member within said pocket, said member having one end portion extending through the open mouth of said pocket and having its other end secured within said pocket to said curtain, and said member being otherwise unsecured, whereby on drawing the portions of the member normally within said pocket out of said pocket the pocket and the curtain will be gathered.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3 said pocket extending transversely across said curtain at an angle to the horizontal when the curtain is hung.

5. A window curtain comprising a body portion of fabric, an ornamental shirred ruflle along one edge of said fabric, and a tie-back arrangement integral with said curtain and positioned generally transversely thereoi to gather the body portion of the curtain without gathering the ruffle.

6. In combination with a window curtain, a tieback arrangement comprising an elongated flexible member arranged in a transverse direction having a portion secured to said curtain and other portions unsecured thereto and means for holding said unsecured portions of said member in frictional engagement with portions of the curtain, whereby upon longitudinal movement of said unsecured portions relatively to the curtain the parts of the latter adjacent said unsecured portions will be gathered and held in their gathered position by friction.

BERNARD ROSENBERG. 

